Last Day of New Zealand...Cottage Pie

For the last night of New Zealand we made cottage pie. Influenced by New Zealand's UK roots, cottage pie is a hearty meal full of flavour.

Cottage Pie
(makes 6 servings)
1 Lbs of Ground Beef
4 Russet Potatoes, diced
1 Tbsp. Oil

1 Onion, diced
1 Garlic Clove, diced
2 Carrots, diced
2 Celery Sticks, diced
1/2 cup Peas
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire
1 Tbsp. Rosemary
1 Tbsp. Oregano
Salt/Pepper
1/4 cup of Milk
2 Tbsp. Butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Peel and dice 4 potatoes. Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water, bring to a boil and boil until potatoes until tender.  While potatoes are cooking heat 1 Tbsp. of oil in large dutch oven.  Add onion and garlic and cook until tender.  Add ground beef and cook through.  Add carrots, celery, peas, Worcestershire, rosemary, oregano, and salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender. When potatoes are tender, drain, then mash potatoes adding milk and butter.  Transfer beef mixture from dutch oven into 9" x 13" oven safe pan.  Top with mash potatoes.  Cook in oven for 20 minutes or until top is browned.  Serve hot.
 

Kumara Salad

Tonight we had Kumara Salad, this salad is nice on it's own or can be served with a grilled chicken breast.  The dressing is a nice mix of sweet and sour and pairs nicely with the roasted kumara.

Kumara Salad
(makes 4 servings)
3 medium Kumara (sweet potato), diced
1 Tsp Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper
1 small head of Red Leaf Lettuce, chopped
1 small head of Romaine Lettuce, chopped
2 Tbsp. Pine Nuts
1 small Beet, shredded
1 Carrot, shredded

Dressing
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tsp Wildflower Honey
Salt/Pepper
2 Tbsp. Feta, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel and dice 3 medium Kumara. Toss Kumara in Olive Oil, Salt, and Pepper.  Place Kumara on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until Kumara is tender.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Clean 1 small head of Red Leaf Lettuce and 1 small head of Romaine Lettuce.  Dry thoroughly. Chop lettuce and place in salad bowl.  Add pine nuts, shredded beet and shredded carrot.  Add cooled Kumara.  Set Aside. In a small bowl whisk 2 Tbsp Olive Oil, 1 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar, 1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard, and 1 Tsp. Honey. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Toss salad with Dressing. Top with crumbled Feta.

Kumara Soup

On Wednesday night we had kumara (sweet potato) soup.  This soup can be made in about an hour and is great on an Autumn day.  It is also a vegan soup so is always a great option when you have vegetarians or vegans coming to dinner.

Kumara Soup
(makes 4-6 servings)
3 Large Kumara (Sweet Potatoes)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
2 Celery Sticks, diced
2 Carrots, diced
Herb Bouquet (Basil, Oregano, Sage)
6 Cups Water
Salt/Pepper

 Peel and chop Kumara. Place in medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 25 minutes or until Kumara is tender. Drain and set aside.  In a large dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp of Olive Oil. Add onion, celery and carrots and cook until tender.  Add 6 cups of water and herb bouquet.  Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove herb bouquet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add Kumara to dutch oven and simmer for 20 minutes.  Use an immersion blender and blend until smooth.  Continue to simmer for an additional 20 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil and a spring of basil.

Prawns on the Barbie!

On Tuesday Night we had prawns on the BBQ.  We went for fresh seasoning using mango and lime and finished with fresh basil. Grilled to perfection on the BBQ added that smoky flavour.

Prawn Kabobs
(makes 2 servings)
wooden/metal kabob sticks
12 Fresh Prawns
1 Ripe Mango
2 Ripe Limes
Salt/Pepper
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Basil to Garnish

If using wooden kabob sticks, soak for 10 minutes.  Peel and de-vein prawns.  Skewer prawns onto kabob sticks, 6 per stick.  Set aside. Peel and chop mango.  Place mango pieces into food processor. Squeeze the juice of 2 limes into the food processor, blend until smooth.  Spread mixture onto both sides of the prawns. Add salt and pepper. Let marinade for 30 minutes. Preheat BBQ to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush Prawns with Olive Oil and then cook for 2 minutes per side until cooked through.  Serve with fresh basil.

Sausage Rolls

Tonight we made sausage rolls, although not exclusively a New Zealand dish, during our research we found many of the New Zealand food sites listed sausage rolls on their sites, so we decided to make them for dinner.

Chicken Sausage Rolls
(makes 8 large Sausage Rolls)

Dough
2 1/2 cups of Flour (2 cups All Purpose; 1/2 Cup Pastry)
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Butter

Filling
1 Cup Ground Chicken
1 Tsp. Cayenne
1 Tsp. Paprika
Salt/Pepper

1 egg
1 Tbsp Water

To make dough mix flour, salt and water together until it forms a ball.  Knead dough on lightly dusted surface until no longer sticky.  Cover dough and set aside for 20 minutes.  Between two pieces of plastic wrap, place one cup of cold butter.  Using a rolling pin, pound butter until it is a flat single piece of butter. Place butter in fridge for 30 minutes to firm. Roll out dough until it is approximately 1/2" thick. Place cold butter piece in center of rolled dough. Fold into thirds and carefully roll dough out again until 1/2" thick. Fold into thirds and rotate dough 90 degrees, roll out again until 1/2" thick. Fold again, wrap in plastic and place back in fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

While dough is chilling. Mix chicken, cayenne, paprika, salt and pepper, set aside Take dough out of fridge and roll out to 1/2" thick. Fold into thirds and roll out again until 1/2" thick. Cut dough into 8 equal squares.  Form a large spoonful of filling by hand into a free form sausage shape. Place in center of dough square. fold up both edges to meet in center, using water pinch edges together to ensure they are held together.  Wrap individual sausage rolls in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix 1 egg and 1 Tbsp water together, brush sausage rolls with egg wash. Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown.

New Zealand Rack of Lamb

Tonight we featured one of the most popular meats of New Zealand, lamb.  We decided on cooking a traditional Rack of Lamb.  We served the dish with roasted potatoes and carrots and steamed broccoli. It was a hearty meal which was quite nice tonight as it was a particularly Autumn feeling day today.

 Rack of Lamb
(makes 2 servings)
1/2 pound Rack of Lamb (french cut)
Three Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1/4 Tsp. Pepper
3 Tbsp.  Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Large Clove of Garlic
4 Tbsp. Quality White Wine

Blend Rosemary, Salt, Pepper, Olive Oil, Garlic and Wine together. Pour marinade over rack of lamb. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Preheat BBQ to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, as well preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Sear Lamb for 4 minutes on each side on the BBQ.  Place Lamb on pumice oven pan with parboiled baby potatoes and carrots and finish cooking in the preheated oven for 20 minute (adjust time for preferred level of cook, we cooked the Lamb to Medium).

Welcome to...New Zealand!

Our second weeks recipes are from...New Zealand!  In our research of the many recipes of New Zealand we found it interesting that many people in New Zealand enjoy fish and chips as a standard form of "fast" food.  So since it was a lazy early Autumn day here we decided we were in the mood for fish and chips. The market had fabulous cuts of fresh halibut today so it was as if it was made to be. 

Fish & Chips
(makes 4 servings)

Batter
10 Tbsp. Flour
1/2 a bottle of good beer (we used a strong, dark Porter)
1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Pepper
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 cup Flour

1 Large Piece of Halibut, cleaned and fillet into small pieces

Chips
4 medium Russet Potatoes, cut into fries
1 Tbsp. Seasoning Salt.

1.5 L of Oil for Frying.

For the Batter, mix flour, beer, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and olive oil. Place batter in the fridge for at least 45 minutes to cool, batter should be the consistency of pancake batter.  Fillet fish, rub with salt and set aside.

For the chips cut potatoes into fries and place in ice water for 30 minutes. Dry thoroughly.  Heat oil to 350 degrees  Fahrenheit. Fry fries in small batches for 6 minutes. Place on paper towel to dry.  Then fry again for 5 minutes to crisp, toss in seasoning salt. Serve warm.

For the fish, heat oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Coat fish in flour, then dip in batter to coat. Fry for 6-8 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.  Drain on paper towel. Serve with homemade tartar sauce.

Homemade Tartar Sauce
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 Garlic Dill Pickle finely chopped
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard.
Salt/Pepper to taste

Mix Mayonnaise and Dijon together until blended, add pickle and salt and pepper to taste. Chill until ready to smooth.